I don't think even the employers like it. It costs a lot and it's a pain in the ass to even sign up for if you're a small company. To add an insult to an injury, costs go up every year like clockwork in a largely out-of-control fashion. I worked for several companies now which started from scratch. "Retention" was never a part of the conversation, but "pain in the ass" always was. I think employers provide health insurance simply because employees expect it, as well as to pay you less than they would have to pay you otherwise. It's tax advantaged on their end. If your accountant is any good, it can even be tax advantaged for single person LLCs. Most people don't know this, though. Why this is not tax deductible for "regular" people I have no idea. IMO it should either be tax deductible for everyone, or no one. To have this in-between situation is idiotic.